Part 34 (1/2)

I nodded approvingly.

We pa.s.sed through the vast hallways, strangely devoid of guards. I admired the statues, the tapestries depicting great moments in the history of Chinpan. Mitsu walked beside me, head held high. She didn't seem to walk so much as glide across the floor, as if she had runners strapped to her feet and was moving across ice.

We reached the doors of the Imperior's quarters, and it was nice to see they weren't made of paper.

That would afford more privacy. The doors instead were large, lacquered wood with carvings of birds and snakes upon them. The snakes had their mouths open and were moving toward birds who were desperately trying to get out of their way... and did not seem, by the looks of things, to be destined to succeed. I found the imagery rather disturbing.

I knocked, and heard the Imperior's voice from within. ”Enter,” he said. I gestured in an ”after you”

manner and Mitsu, with a quick nod, entered the room.

Her father was seated on an elevated chair at the far end, his hands resting lightly on the carved armrest, which also had the heads of snakes on either one. He was smiling gently, one eyebrow c.o.c.ked when he saw that Mitsu had come in with me. ”This is unexpected. Greetings, my child.”

”h.e.l.lo, Father,” said Mitsu neutrally. I eased the large doors shut behind me. ”It has been a little while since we chatted.” ”Much has happened,” replied the Imperior. ”Po here has said many interesting things. He--”

”We're here to kill you,” I interrupted.

The Imperior did not appear surprised. ”I see. With that?” He nodded toward the sword on my hip.

”Yes.”

”You said you would make a gift of it.”

”And so I shall. I'll deliver it point-first.”

For someone who was about to die, the Imperior seemed quite calm. ”Indeed. And may I ask why you are about to take this murderous action?”

I turned to Mitsu. ”Tell him.”

She looked from him to me and back again. Her face hardened. ”Because of all you've done, Father.

Because of what you did to the boy in the marketplace--”

”Oh, Mitsu, not that again,” sighed the Imperior. ”When will you grow up? When will--”

She strode toward him, her voice growing harsher, angrier. ”I have grown up, Father. I've made powerful allies. Allies who are enemies of yours. It's about time you realized it. It's about time you came to understand what it is you've done, and what it is you've brought upon yourself.”

”Allies? Enemies? What are you going on about...?”

”The Anais Ninjas, Father. The Forked Tong. They are my family now,” she said heatedly. ”They support me. They love me in a way that you never did.”

”I don't believe you,” the Imperior replied, but there was clearly building anger in his face. ”A princess would not a.s.sociate with such as they. You could not be--”

Abruptly Mitsu reached up and ripped open the front of her kimono. Beneath it was the distinctive black outfit of the sisterhood of the Anais Ninjas. She tossed aside the kimono, lifted up the cowl, and tied it tightly across her face in one smooth move. She did not have a sword strapped across her back, but she did have a knife tucked in her belt.

”Return to your room and dispose of that costume at once,” the Imperior ordered her. He was standing now, clearly irked. ”This is intolerable behavior, and I--”

”I would not speak in such a condescending tone if I were you, Father,” said Mitsu. ”For at this moment, I am the only thing standing between you and certain death.”

”Standing between?” I looked at her in puzzlement.

”Actually,” replied the Imperior, ”I am the only thing standing between you and certain death. And to be honest, my daughter, my stance is not especially firm.”

With that, he clapped his hands briskly. The Hamunri came in from everywhere. Hidden doors opened from everywhere. Even the chair slid aside with a rough, scratching noise to reveal a hole in the floor from which more of the Hamunri appeared. All of them had their swords out, and all of them were focused upon Mitsu.

She looked around desperately, and then shouted, ”Apropos! Now!”

And she waited.

And nothing happened.

I simply stood there, looking at her sadly.

It took her about two seconds to figure it out.

”You lying b.a.s.t.a.r.d!” howled Mitsu, and she yanked the knife from her belt and came at me. I wasn't standing all that far away. Had we been alone in the room, there was every chance she would have been able to gut me before I could make a move.

But the Hamunri, the cream of the crop, were far faster and more fleet of foot than I. Barely had she taken three steps before five of the soldiers had piled upon her, bearing her to the ground. Two grabbed her arms, two her legs, and one threw himself directly across her torso. She struggled and howled and cursed my name, but it did her no good as the Hamunri tossed her knife aside and hauled her to her feet.

”I'll kill you, Apropos! I swear, I'll kill you myself, you betraying piece of slime!” Mitsu shrieked at me.

”Mitsu, he knew.”

”You promised the Forked Tong! You--”

I was upon her then, grabbing her face with my hands so I could look straight in her eyes. ”Mitsu, he knew! Listen to me! He knew what you were up to! He knew--or at least very much suspected--your alliance with the Anais Ninjas! He confronted me with his suspicions, as a concerned father! What was I supposed to do?”

She spit in my face. I stepped back, trying to wipe the liquid from my eyes.

”What were you supposed to do?” she demanded with venom.

”Lie! It's what you do! It's what you're best at! It's what you did to me, and to Veruh w.a.n.g Ho! To all of us! You swore fealty--”

”To murderers, Mitsu!” I snapped back at her. ”To murderers and thugs and criminals, who would eventually turn against each other. Believe me, I know. Such alliances never last. I had to get you out.”

”Get me out? You mean get me killed!”

”No,” and I shook my head fervently. ”No, your father doesn't want that for you. And I don't...”

”You b.a.s.t.a.r.d!” she said again. I rolled my eyes. ”Considering I am a b.a.s.t.a.r.d, you might want to give up on the idea of trying to wound me with that 'insult.' Mitsu... it's a cult. These women... it's a cult movement that's dragged you in.

And you'll come to a bad end because of it. I couldn't just stand by--”

”So you betrayed me!”

”I didn't betray you. I told you, he already knew...”

”How? How could he?”

And a low voice said, ”I told him.”